Strand tensioning means for spiral winders



July 16, 196s Filed Nov. 7' 1966 J. SINGH STRAND TENsIoNING MEANS FOR SPIRAL WINDERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FLE- E July i6, 1968 J. SINGH 3,392,933

STRAND TENSIONING MEANS FOR SPIRAL WINDERS Filed NOV. 7, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tirza-Q July 16, 1968 I slNGH 3,392,933

STRAND TENSIONING MEANS FOR SPIRAL WINDERS Filed Nov. '7, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FLE- EJ States Patent O f TENSIONING MEANS FOR SPIRAL WINDERS Jagmohan Singh, Reading, Pa., assignor to Textile l`,Machine Works,lWyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania p Filed Nov. 7,1966, Ser. No. 592,451

' v9 Claims. (Cl. 242-149) .--sTRAND This invention relates to machines for spirally wrapping or winding ribbons or bands, incorporating a plurality of of individual parallel wire strands or filaments, onto cores in forming high pressure -armored hose and the like and more particularly to means for applying uniform tension to the individual wire filaments of the ribbons.

In machines heretofore -designed for spirally winding multistrand wire bands on cores vthe individual strands or filaments forming the bands are wound on supply bobbins which are carried on fixtures mounted for rotation about the core and the band of filaments of each fixture is guided over 'a spring controlled pivoted lever or the like to Iapply tension to the band as it is wound on the core. Where the tension in the individual wire strands varies during winding thereof on the supply bobbin the tension lever is incapable of maintaining a uniform tension on all of the strands of the band with the result that the strands having the greatest initial tension on the bobbin are tightly wound on the core while the strands having the lesser initial tension are loosely wound on the core. This in turn results in variations in the internal diameter of the completed hose when high interna] pressure is applied to the hose.

It is an object of the invention to provide means in a machine for spirally winding ribbons or bands having -a plurality of wire filaments lying in parallel side-by-side relationship onto a core to form high pressure hose and the like which means overcomes the above noted and other objections to prior spiral winding machines.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means in a machine'for spirally winding a band comprising a plurality of wires on a core in forming high pressure reinforced hose including means for applying a uniform tension on the individual wire strands of the band during feeding thereof from a supply bobbin to the winding point on'the core regardless of variations in tension which may occur in individual strands of the ribbon when the strands are wound on the supply bobbin. A further object of the invention is the provision of means in -a spiral winding machine for feeding and tensioning the individual wire strands of a band or ribbon of such strands between a supply source and a point at which the ribbon is wound onto a core, which means includes 4a plurality of members between pairs of which eachiilament of the ribbon is guided, means for applying resilient pressure on the members Iand means which is operated by the band of strands for adjusting the force of the resilient means on the'members and acting with the members to apply a uniform predetermined tension on the strands of the band.` 'With these and'other` objects -in view which will become Iapparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts `as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: p FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one deck of a machine for. spirally winding steel wire strands on a core with strand supply, and tensioning fixtures according to the invention incorporated therein;

3,392,933 Patented July 16, 1968 CCA IFIG. 2 is a view of the machine as seen from the left of lFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of one of the strand supply and tensioning xtures shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the mechanism of FIG. 3 with a portion of the mechanism bein-g broken away;

F-IG. 5 is a sectional view on `an enlarged scale taken on the =line and in the direction of the arrows 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in cross section taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is la View on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of the arrow A of PIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 8--8 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings there is shown one of the winding decks or heads 9 of .a machine for forming high pressure rein-forced or Iarmored hose and the like including a base member 10, vertical plates 11 and 12 supported on the ibase member 'and forming the lixed portion of the deck in which the operating means is carried for a rotary member 15. The rotary member 15 carries a plurality of like fixtures 16 each of which is adapted to supply and tension a plurality of steel wire strands 7 (fFIGS. 3 and 4) which are assembled into a ribbon or band 20 and directed to a forming fixture 21 where the band is spirally wound on a core or mandrel 22 moving axially through the forming fixture. Except for the fixtures 16 the construction and operation of the head 9 is conventional and forms no part of the instant invention.

The fixtures 16 each include a base 25 (FIGS. 3 and 4) adapted to lbe secured in .fixed position on the rotary member 15 as by bolts 26, a bearing portion 27 on the base having a bore 30 for receiving |a lower end 31 of a shaft 32, the lower end being reduced with respect to an upper part 33 of the shaft to form a shoulder 35 adapted to abut the upper surface of the bearing portion 27. The lower end 31 of shaft 32 is secured in fixed position in the bearing portion 27 by a pin 36. A washer 37 of fiber or like material mounted on the upper part 33 of the shaft 32 and in abutting engagement with the upper sur-face of the bearing port-ion 27 acts to support a lower rol-ler bearing 40 mounted on the upper part of the shaft. The roller Ibearing 40 interlits a lower bore 41 in a sleeve 42 and the sleeve is provided with a bore 45 of reduced diameter with respect to the lower bore 41 to form a shoulder 46 which labuts the upper end of the lower roller bearing. The upper part 33 of shaft 32 also carries |an -upper roller bearing 43 similar to the bearing 40 and the bearing 43 interfits a bore 44 in the sleeve 42. The bearing 43 is retained between a shoulder 48 formed between the bores 44 and 45 and a iber washer 49 on the shaft by a retaining ring 54 carried in a groove in the shaft, the retaining ring also acting with the 'bearings 40 and 43 to fix the axial position of the sleeve.

The lower end of the sleeve 42 has a iiange 47 having abutting engagement with a lower annular flange 50 of a bobbin 51 mounted on the sleeve. The bobbin 51 carries a series of annular plates 52 and sleeves 55 which act to space the plates to divide the bobbin into separate compartments 53 for the individual wire strands 17. An upper flange 58 threadably carried on the upper end of the bobbin 51 retains the plates 52 and sleeves 55 in position on the bobbin. The outer surfaces of the flanges 50 and 58 and plates 52 closely interlit the inner surface of a cover member 56, the open lower end of which interlits in an annular groove 57 in an upper surface 60 of the base 25,

as shown in FIG. 4. The cover member 56 is mounted on the shaft 32 between a shoulder 59 on the shaft and a nut 61 carried on a threaded upper end 62 of the shaft, this arrangement permitting cover member 56 to be readily removed to replace an exhausted bobbin with a filled one.

The individual wire strands 17 are withdrawn from compartments 53 through an elongated slot 65 formed in the cover member 56 and then beneath a strip 66 of felt or the like carried on a thin metal plate 67 secured along one edge to the cover member by screws 70 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The plate and felt strip act to exert a relatively light restraining force on the wire strands as they are withdrawn through the slot. From the slot 65 the wire strands pass around the cover member 56 and through a guide member 71 (FIG. 7) secured to the outer surface of the cover member, which acts to assemble the strands into a closely spaced group, and from the guide member to a tensioning means indicated generally at 72,

Referring particularly to FIGS. 6 and 8 the tensioning means 72 comprises a group of superposed plate members 75 having aligned perforations 76 to loosely receive pins 77 suported in walls 80 and 81 of a bracket 82 secured to an upper wall 85 of the base 25 (FIGS. 4 and 6). A bowed leaf spring 86 (FIG. 8) is interposed between each pair of plate members 75 in a recess 87 formed in the upper surface of the lower plate member of each pair of plate members, the leaf springs tending to separate the plate members. Each leaf spring is perforated adjacent one end to receive one pin 77 and is notched at its other end to receive the other pin to provide clearance during cornpression of the spring. The upper surface of the lower plate member 75 of each pair is also provided with a narrow groove 90 to receive a wire strand 17, thegroove having a depth substantially less than the diameter of the wire strand whereby the plate members, when moved relative to each other as hereinafter set forth, exert a variable braking or tensioning force on the wire elements. The construction described above is generally equivalent to the tensioning device disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 552,332 filed May 23, 1966, entitled, Braider Carrier.

The plate members 75 are lmoved toward each other and against the wall 80 to apply pressure on the wire strands 17 by engagement of a pin 91 with the lowermost plate member, the pin 91 extending downwardly through an opening 93 in the wall 81 and being adjustably carried in one arm 92 of a lever 95. The lever 95 is pivoted on a pin 96 carried in a bracket 97 secured to the wall 85 of the base 25 by screws 98 (FIG. 6). A second arm 100 of the lever 95 has a bracket 101 secured to the underside thereof by screws 102, the bracket and arm 100 having a coaxial aperture 105 the upper end of which is adapted to receive a rod 106. The rod 106 is provided with a transversely extending pin 107 adapted to engage vin a slot 110 in the bracket 101 (FIG. 6) to prevent rotation of the rod in the aperture 105 but permit axial movement of the rod in the aperture for purposes hereinafter set forth.

A forked upper end of the rod 106 rotatably carries a roller 112 for engagement with a cam rise 115 formed on the underside of an arcuate member 116 secured by screws 117 to the underside of a lever 120 (FIGS. 3 and 6). A coil type compression spring 121 in the aperture 105 between the rod 106 and an adjustable screw 122 threadably carried in the lower end of the aperture acts on the rod to maintain the roller 112 in engage-ment with the cam rise 115 and the rod in turn acts through the spring to turn lever 95 counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 6, to maintain the pin 91 in resilient engagement with the lowermost plate member 75.

The lever 120 which has a downwardly extending hub 125, is pivotally mounted on a stud 126, secured to the wall 85 of base 25, between a support plate 127 for the upper end of the stud and a hub 130 of a worm gear 131 4 1 i rotatably carried on the stud. The plate 127 is secured by screws 132 to a vertical wall.135 of a bracket 136 having oppositely extending feet 137 and 138 supported on the wall 85. The stud has a lower end 140 of reduced diameter extending through a clearance hole in the foot 137 and threaded into the wall where it is held by a lock nut 141 to secure the stud and ffoot to the wall 35. The other foot 138 is secured to the wall 85 by a screw 142. A torsion spring 145 mounted on the hub 125 of lever 120and hub 130 of worm gear 131 has one end in engagement with the member 116 on the lever and its other end inserted in an aperture in the worm gear (FIGS. 5 and 6), the spring 145 tending to bias the lever counterclockwise to a rest position determined by engagement of a pin 146 in the lever with the plate 127. During movement of the lever 120 in the counterclockwise direction the roller 112 rides from a lo'w to a higher portion of the cam rise 115 to operate the lever to increase the pressure applied by the plates 75 to the wire strands 17. On the other hand during movement of the lever in the clockwise direction the roller 112 rides from a higher to a lower portion of the cam rise 115 to operate the lever 95 to decrease the pressure applied by the plates to the wire strands.

The force of the torsion spring on the lever 120 is adapted to be adjusted by rotating the worm gear 131. For this purpose the worm gear meshes with a worm 147 mounted for rotation in a bore 150 formed in a bearing portion 151 of the bracket 136. As shown in FIG. 5, the wall of the bearing portion 151 is slotted at 152 to permit engagement of the worm gear and worm and the latter is provided with a stem 155 of reduced diameter journalled in a bore 156 in the bearing portion. The stem 155 is provided with a screw driver slot 157 whereby the worm 147 may be turned to rotate the worm gear 131. A clamp 160 is threadably connected to a screw 161 carried in the bearing portion 151 the scre'w being adapted to be turned by a screw driver to move the clamp into clamping engagement with worm 147 to hold the worm against turning movement and to release the clamp to permit the worm to be rotated to adjust the force of the spring 145 and the initial force required by the strands 17 to move lever 120 to relieve the pressure exerted by the lever 95 on the plates 75.

In initially preparing each fixture 16 for the winding operation the lever 120 is manually turned clockwise to move the lowest part of the cam rise 115 into engagement with the rod 106 to relax the pressure applied by lever 95 on the plates 75. The wire strands 17 are withdrawn from the compartment 53 through the slot 65 around the cover member 56 and through the guide member 71 and each wire strand is then inserted in the groove 90 between a pair of the plates with the individual wire strands being placed between the pairs of plates to maintain the strands in the same order as on the bobbin 51.

After the wire strands 17 pass between the plates 75 they are led over a roller 162 rotatably mounted on a stand 165 secured by screws 166 to the wall 85 of base 25 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and then around a roller 167, rotatably mounted on a pin fixed in the free end of lever 120, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, and from the latter roller to the forming fixture 21 where the wire strands are suitably secured to the core or mandrel 22 on which they are to be wound. The lever 120 is then permitted to return to its counterclockwise position under the influence of spring 145 to move a high part of the cam rise 115 into engagement with the rod 106 thereby increasing the pressure exerted by lever 95 on the plates 75 to hold the wire strands.

Following conditioning of each fixture 16 and attachment of the wire strands thereof to the core 22 the Inachine is operated to wind the strands from the fixtures onto the core. As the windingoperation of the strands of each fixture 16 starts thev strands thereof turn lever 120 clockwise to move a lower portion of the cam rise 115 into engagement with the rod 106v to reduce the pressure applied by the lever 95 on the plates 75 and permit the individual strands to be withdrawn from the bobbin and through the plates with the required force applied thereto by the plates. The parts then remain in substantially the same position to maintain the tension on the individual strands of the band uniform throughout the winding operation. After the bands of wire strands of the fixtures 16 are wound on the mandrel or core 22, which is commonly fifty or sixty feet in length, the strands are secured by a second band of wire strands wound in the opposite direction by fixtures similar to fixtures 16 and/ or a layer of tape applied successively to the core as it moves through the machine. The strands from each xture are then taped and severed between the tape and core, the lever 120 at this time moving counterclockwise to increase the pressure on the plates 75 to hold the strands against withdrawal thereof from the bobbin 51 until the bands of strands from the several fixtures 16 are attached to and wound on another core or mandrel.

It is believed to be obvious from the foregoing description of the construction and operation of the tension means of the instant invention that the movement of the lever 120 by the wire strands 17 combined with the pressure applied by the plate members 75 on the strands under the control of the lever 120 maintains a constant and uniform tension on the individual strands of the band as it is Wound on the core 22. Furthermore, the force of the pressure applied by the plate members 75 is such as to limit withdrawal of the individual strands from the individual supplies thereof on the bobbin to the lengths required for the coils of strands formed on the core without regard to the condition of the strands in the individual supplies.

Of course the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein described and hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for spirally winding a band having a plurality of parallel side-by-side strands onto a core, means for supporting a supply of said strands and from which said strands are withdrawn as they are wound on said core, tension means for individually applying resilient pressure on each of said strands between said supply and said core, resilient take-up means for said strands of said band between said resilient pressure means and said core, said takeup means being movable by said strands from a take-up position to a second position as said strands are wound upon said core, and means on said take-up means for operating said resilient pressure means to increase said resilient pressure on said individual strands in said take-up position of said take-up means and to decrease said resilient pressure on said individual strands in said second position of said take-up means.

2. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said take-up means includes a pivoted lever, roller means on said pivoted lever over which said strands of said band are guided, and spring means for normally biasing said take-up means to said take-up position.

3. In a machine according to claim 2 in which there is means for adjusting said spring means to adjust the force of said spring means on said take-up means.

4. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said means for individually applying resilient pressure on each of said strands comprises a group of plate members between pairs of which each of said strands is guided, and means for moving said plate members toward each other to apply resilient pressure on said strands, and said moving means for said plate members is operated by said operating means on said take-up means.

5. In a machine according to claim 4 in which said means on said take-up means for operating said moving means for said group of plate members comprises a cam member, and there is follower means on said moving means for engaging said cam member.

6. In a machine according to claim 5 in which said moving means for said plate members comprises a lever mounted for pivotal movement intermediate the ends thereof, a rod carried in one end of said lever for engagement with said group of plate members, and means forrnounting said follower means in the other end of said-lever for engagement with said cam member on said take-up means.

7. A machine according to claim 6 in which said fol lower means is mounted for axial movement in said mounting means on said lever, and there is spring means between said follower means and said lever for moving said lever to resiliently engage said rod in said one end of said lever with said group of plate members.

8. A machine according to claim 7 in which there is means for mounting said group of plate members in superposed relationship, a stop at one side of said group of plate members, and said rod in said one end of said lever is resiliently engaged with a plate member at the other side of said group.

9. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said supporting means for said supply of strands comprises a bobbin rotatable by withdrawal of said strands therefrom, and means on said bobbin for separating the supplies of said strands from each other, and there is means for guiding said strands from said supplies to said group of plate members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,094,047 4/1914 Ames 57-10 2,117,959 5/1938 Hunter 57-10 2,643,831 6/1953 Flamand 242-149 2,998,207 8/1961 Moore 242-149 3,146,968 9/1964 Baud 242--149 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,402,465 5/ 1965 France.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR SPIRALLY WINDING A BAND HAVING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL SIDE-BY-SIDE STRANDS ONTO A CORE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A SUPPLY OF SAID STRANDS AND FROM WHICH SAID STRANDS ARE WITHDRAWN AS THEY ARE WOUND ON SAID CORE, TENSION MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY APPLYING RESILIENT PRESSURE ON EACH OF SAID STRANDS BETWEEN SAID SUPPLY AND SAID CORE, RESILIENT TAKE-UP MEANS FOR SAID STRANDS OF SAID BAND BETWEEN SAID RESILIENT PRESSURE MEANS AND SAID CORE, SAID TAKE-UP MEANS BEING MOVABLE BY SAID STRANDS FROM A TAKE-UP POSITION TO A SECOND POSITION AS SAID STRANDS ARE WOUND UPON SAID CORE, AND MEANS ON SAID TAKE-UP MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID RESILIENT PRESSURE MEANS TO INCREASE SAID RESILIENT PRESSURE ON SAID INDIVIDUAL STRANDS IN SAID TAKE-UP POSITION OF SAID TAKE-UP MEANS AND TO DECREASE SAID RESILIENT PRESSURE ON SAID INDIVIDUAL STRANDS IN SAID SECOND POSITION OF SAID TAKE-UP MEANS. 